Mama Hen pecking her 5 week old chicks

[aryana9]

My Mama hen has started pecking her chicks today. She clearly wants to be with her adult chicken buddies (only two of them). So I let her free range with them today and they really went after her again and again. I'm afraid they'll really hurt her. Mama hen started laying yesterday and today. After several hours free ranging I put her back in with her chicks and she hit on them hard. They are now scared of her. Not sure what to do. If I put her back in with the two grown hens tonight, she may really get hurt. Any suggestions??

 

[MROO]

Put Mama in a wire cage inside the coop with her cronies (so they can get reacquainted) and break out the brooder!

 

[aryana9]

Put Mama in a wire cage inside the coop with her cronies (so they can get reacquainted) and break out the brooder![/QUOTE

 

[aryana9]

Thanks, I'll try that. The chicks are now in their own secure area about 5' x 8' separated from the other 2 by hardware cloth. I will try to keep Mama from going up into the roost tonight with the other 2. Mama was always the bottom of the pecking order and is much smaller than the other two as well.

 

[rita2paul]

its always best when your chicken goes broody is to keep her in a nice secure area in the same house as the others so they will still see her.

 

[2 many chickens]

Sounds like an abusive mother. She hates them now obviously. I'd keep them away from her before she swiftly kicks one against a wall or something. Did have this happen once, mother hen scratched the ground and karate chopped the chock 7 feet away. Broke it's neck in two. Awful abuse.

 

[centrarchid]

Five weeks post hatch is the typical age at which chicks are weaned. Mine begin pecking at chicks once coming back into lay and getting ready to go broody again. Chicks at that age are transitioning to the juveniles stage where a brooder is not longer appropriate. I like to have expanded rooosting options at that time so young birds can roost up as well. Hens generally have little trouble getting back into flock if they have had frequent interactions with other adults while broody.

 

[centrarchid]

Sounds like an abusive mother. She hates them now obviously. I'd keep them away from her before she swiftly kicks one against a wall or something. Did have this happen once, mother hen scratched the ground and karate chopped the chock 7 feet away. Broke it's neck in two. Awful abuse.

Some advice is not so good.

 

[2 many chickens]

Some advice is not so good.

Any advice is good. This forum is welcome to all who can help. Just telling her to watch out is all. Like I said had a chick get karate chopped in half by mama hen. Awful death. Then mama hen tried to kung foo another but I stopped it. Have to be careful is all.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...It would of been smoother if you would of let Momma raise her Chicks in the flock. She would of integrated them. She is weaning them off her.